OK this is a fun one. As reported in Brave Words, the Evening Times Online quotes a radio station survey on the search for the "best driving song" with the winner being….."Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. The full list is as follows:

1. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
2. "Sweet Child ‘O Mine" by Guns and Roses
3. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
4. "Vertigo" by U2
5. "By the Way" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
6. "Livin’ On a Prayer" by Bon Jovi
7. "Layla" by Eric Clapton
8. "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence
9. "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen
10. "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand

Now this list is just goofy. We probably all can agree that when driving, we are often in the mood for some faster music that pumps us up (and correspondingly results in an increase in speeding tickets) but I mean some of these choices are just weird. Where is "Radar Love"? (If it’s good enough for Bart Simpson and Nelson Munz it’s good enough for me!). I have no clue what radio station this came from but really, when exactly did "Vertigo" come out? What songs would comprise your top 10?
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The Guardian has started an occasional series on the the favourite records of various recording artists and have kicked it off by featuring the top 20 records of Tom Waits. Check out the article for an interesting and eclectic list. Pretty cool.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS: Planet Of The Popboomerang 2 46 track double compilation featuring rare tracks from the best pop/rock bands from all around the globe

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Since I am an iTunes Affiliate and there is a lot of cool stuff available through iTunes, including quite a few exclusives, I figure that once a week I’ll highlite them for ya so that you can check them out for yourselves. I have decided to start this week off with none other than The Grateful Dead. That’s right, despite the fact that Jerry Garcia is sadly not around, and considering the fact that I am currently reading a very funny book on the Dead by Rock Scully (review to be posted soon) I figure you might want to check out some of the great shows that the Dead have put on in the past. And if you are not familiar with the band, this is your chance to have a listen and decide for yourself what the fuss is all about. Check ‘em out, lower the lights and have a listen. Truckin’….
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There have been a bunch of new reviews added to the always fun Lama E-zine awaiting your perusal. Always a great experience, where else will you read a review about someone like this:

BHAGAVAN DAS. He is known as the "Jimi Hendrix of kirtan" — but
what does that actually mean? "Swaha" (1974), one of Bhagavan’s
earliest and most Western-oriented albums is presented, along with a
detailed background on the man himself, the "young ex-surfer from
Laguna Beach" who helped turn Richard Alpert into Ram Dass!

Check out the lysergic fun for yourself!
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This sounds like an interesting event to attend:

(PRESS RELEASE) WILCO’S JEFF TWEEDY AND STANFORD LAW PROFESSOR LAWRENCE LESSIG TO SPEAK
AT NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY ON APRIL 7

PAIR TO EXPLORE THE TOPICS OF COPYRIGHT, DOWNLOADING AND FILE-SHARING IN WHO OWNS CULTURE?

On April 7, the New York Public Library and Wired Magazine will present
musician, songwriter and author Jeff Tweedy and Stanford University law
professor Lawrence Lessig in a discussion moderated by Wired Magazine
contributing editor Steven Johnson. The engagement Who Owns Culture?
will explore the artistic, commercial and legal issues that surround the
Internet-enabled freeing of culture. It is part of the new series Live
From the NYPL.

Jeff Tweedy, whose band Wilco recently earned two Grammy awards for
their current Nonesuch Records release A ghost is born has openly
embraced the culture of digital downloading and file-sharing by
routinely offering free downloads of live music and new music on the
Wilco Web site wilcoworld.net. "A piece of art is not a loaf of bread,"
explains Tweedy. "When someone steals a loaf of bread from the store,
that’s it. The loaf of bread is gone. When someone downloads a piece of
music, it’s just data until the listener puts that music back together
with their own ears, their mind, their subjective experience."

"We need to listen more to those who teach by what they do," says
Lawrence Lessig. "Jeff Tweedy, and Wilco, have done a great deal to
teach all of us something important about creativity." Lessig is a
professor at Stanford Law School . He represented Web site operator Eric
Eldred in the groundbreaking case Eldred v. Ashcroft, a challenge to the
1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. Lessig was named one of
Scientific American’s Top 50 Visionaries for arguing "against
interpretations of copyright that could stifle innovation and discourse
online." He is a Wired columnist and the author of The Future of Ideas,
Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace and Free Culture: How Big Media Uses
Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity. He
also chairs Creative Commons, an innovative nonprofit that offers a new
approach to creativity and copyright in the digital age - an approach
that respects authors’ rights both to control their work and share it on
their own terms.

Steven Johnson is a Wired contributing editor, and the author of Mind
Wide Open, Emergence, and Interface Culture. His new book, Everything
Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us
Smarter, will be published in May.

The New York Public Library is located at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
Tickets for Who Owns Culture? are on sale March 17 at 10 am through
Smarttix (212.868.4444 or Smarttix.com) and are $10.00 for General
Admission and $7.00 for Library Members.

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*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***

Magnetic Field is proud to present BYO Recording artists THROW RAG!

Hailing from the Salton Sea in California and purveyors of the self-coined
sound of "sailor rock," THROW RAG developed their own deranged hybrid of
hardcore/punk-rock, voodoo swamp boogie and nightmare roots-folk music. The
psycho carny they create in live shows is seductive, terrifying and pure
fun. The six-piece (including a washboard/trumpet player) doesn’t cut
corners when it comes to loud guitars and even louder rock’n'roll demonics.

Their live show is virtually a dual attack of lead singer Captain Sean Doe
and the maniacal Jacko on washboard. The mesmerizing derangement of watching
their cheap whiskey Satan and washboard perversion leaves no one unscathed.

Throw Rag has a fiercely loyal fan base, and has received accolades from
everyone from The Reverend Horton Heat to Chris Isaak, and from Flogging
Molly to The Misfits! In the past few years the boys have shared the stage
with such rock luminaries as The Misfits, X, Flogging Molly,The
Supersuckers, The Toilet Boys, NOFX, Motorhead, Social Distortion, Willie
Nelson, Rocket From The Crypt, Royal Crown Revue, The Humpers, Dick Dale, El
Vez, Andre Williams, Green Day, Mike Watt, Weezer, The Damned, The Dickies,
Wesley Willis, The Dwarves, T.S.O.L., Youth Brigade, Nashville Pussy, The
Cadillac Tramps and many others, picking up an army of new fans and media
fascination along the way, proving that Throw Rag is America¹s rock and roll
band.

Playing Magnetic Field for their first time — the night after their long
sold-out support slot for Queens Of The Stoneage at Webster Hall — this
will be a show to remember!

Also playing: THE BROUGHT LOW "New York¹s The Brought Low enhance their classic- and Southern-rock
evocations with a Queens-bred, punked-out, broken-muffler rumble and
roar…" -The Boston Phoenix

Friday, March 25th
At Magnetic Field
97 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
http://magneticbrooklyn.com

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A couple of weeks ago I featured the very cool Canadian download-only record label Zunior in a "Record Label Spotlight." Well label head honcho Dave Ullrich let me know that  Zunior has joined the podcasting revolution with the debut of their Zuniorcast! Get that iPodder software going and download away. The digital revolution continues…
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If you were waiting with baited breath for something new from a personal favourite of mine The Subways you will be glad to know that their latest single "Oh Yeah" is out know! You can buy it here in anticipation of their upcoming full length release due some time this year. To whet your apetite, check out the video for "Oh Yeah"
                    Windows Media:    Lo or Hi
                    Real Media: Lo or Hi
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THE RHONES: Quitter The Rhones mix raw energy, great lyrics, and an unpolished garage sound into a captivating rock stew and performance you won’t forget. Spirited, irreverent, whatever eases your conscience but definitely hot. Real rock-n-roll that’s utterly dangerous.

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"Waves" is a great radio show on KDVS FM (a cool freeform radio station by the way) that features a fantastic array of great eclectic music. The latest edition focuses primarily on British psychedelia and can be downloaded or streamed from this page until March 26th, 2005. A real treat for the ears!
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Jim and Greg over at the Sound Opinions radio show just got back from SXSW and will be giving you the lowdown on what they consider to be the "must-listen" bands of the fest. Tune them in tonight (March 22, 2005) on 93XRT (WXRT 93.1 FM) at 10:00 PM - Midnight (CST).
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I am a big fan of the Glorious Noise e-zine so when I heard about their new label Glorious Noise Records I knew they would be putting out some interesting stuff. Jake at the label sent me their upcoming release “At The End of the American Century…” by Chicago-based Riviera and it is great. You will probably hear Riviera compared a lot to Wilco and other proponents of so-called “Americana” but really, what “At The End of the American Century…” is all about is richly textured melodies, creative uses of feedback and electronic washes and the exploitation of all the colors in their sonic palete to create some memorable and moody rock and roll. You can download some MP3s for your MP3 player to get a feel for their particular brand of rock and roll or you can preview the album in its entirety in streaming Real Audio in anticipation of its official release on April 5th, 2005. Glorious noise indeed.
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I am a big fan of the Glorious Noise e-zine so when I heard about their new label Glorious Noise Records I knew they would be putting out some interesting stuff. Jake at the label sent me their upcoming release "At The End of the American Century…" by Chicago-based Riviera and it is great. You will probably hear Riviera compared a lot to Wilco and other proponents of so-called "Americana" but really, what "At The End of the American Century…" is all about is richly textured melodies, creative uses of feedback and electronic washes and the exploitation of all the colors in their sonic palete to create some memorable and moody rock and roll. You can download some MP3s for your MP3 player to get a feel for their particular brand of rock and roll or you can preview the album in its entirety in streaming Real Audio in anticipation of its official release on April 5th, 2005. Glorious noise indeed.
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I have been in contact with a couple of clubs over the last few months that put on some really great rock and roll and I have decided to start posting club show listings as much as possible. If you have a favourite club that you think other people deserve to know about have them contact me as I would love to post their upcoming schedule, preferably on a monthly basis. This is an experiment so we’ll see how it all works out. If it gets to be a lot of work I might have to put out a call for a "Club Listing Editor" to help out. The priority will always be with true regional, independent clubs and not chains of clubs like House of Blues and Hard Rock Cafes, at least for now. Send your e-mail to clublistings@rockandrollreport.com.
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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has announced their latest new exhibit. Titled "TOMMY: The Amazing Journey" it will feature everything from Pete Townsend’s handwritten manuscript of the evolving concept of the "rock opera" to historical posters, tickets, concert programmes, costumes and instruments. It all kicks off April 7th and runs until March 2006.
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Punkbands.com has an update on the current financial situation of famed rock club CBGBs and the efforts being made to save the club including a fund-raising chocolate bar plan. The battle rages on.
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With the Internet, my consumption of music magazines has most definitely declined. Between the various music e-lists that I subscribe to (Audities, Bomp and Shindig to name just three) and the excellent free e-zines that are available (Fufkin, Perfect Sound Forever and Glorious Noise to name just another three) it just doesn’t seem like I have as much time to read the printed word, but I do try to make the time as there is something special about crashing out somewhere with a bunch of rock mags and the radio on in the background that is somehow reassuring. That being said, here is what currently fills my magazine rack at home:

Harp, Magnet and Amplifier- These are the “big 3” for me. Bi-monthly publications heavy on the indie rock scene but featuring a really diverse blend of bands and musical styles, these mags feature music, music and more music with nary a fashion ad in sight. A refreshing read even if Magnet and Harp feature the same cover subject occasionally.

Mojo- A nice, big, glossy (and expensive!) rock and roll mag featuring all kinds of cool current stuff and amazing features on rock and roll’s past (although a bit Beatles heavy at times). A joy to read but a bit of drain on the pocketbook. I don’t pick up every monthly issue but I usually regret it when it’s no longer available. And the compilation CDs are often excellent.

Uncut- Though not music exclusive, music dominates Uncut with excellent coverage of both the mainstream and offbeat and another great source of fine CD compilations. Another expensive monthly but usually a good bang for the buck.

Exclaim- A free Canadian monthly music newspaper filled to the brim with all kinds of cool bands from rap to hard core. I tend to stick to the more rock and roll/pop stuff but it is certainly interesting to read about all the other wild stuff out there and it is nice to read about Canadian indie rock bands for a change. The only complaint that I have is that the freakin’ ink comes off easily on the fingers so it’s a must that you wash your hands after reading. A great monthly that is also the sponsor of an annual hockey tournament (the Exclaim Hockey Summit) featuring rock and rollers competing against each other in the name of charity. Pretty cool eh?

Ugly Things- Published every year or so, Ugly Things calls itself "wild sounds from past dimensions" and it’s a good thing it is published infrequently as it takes me about a year to entirely consume the thing. If you are a fan of Pebbles and Nuggets (no not the fast food chicken thingys) then order a copy of this magazine. They are so full of obscure rock and roll knowledge that you will be so busy reading articles and highlighting records to buy that you will barely notice that the year has passed! Absolutely encyclopedic in its knowledge of arcane rock and roll, Ugly Things is a rock and roll fan’s delight.

Shindig!- Another rock and roll archaeologists delight, Shindig! covers "’60s Psych, Pop, Garage and beyond" with absolute authority. Published once or twice a year, Jon "Mojo" Mills has just recently released his first CD compilation and it looks to be great. Another essential rock and roll read.

Scram- Scram is a new one for me. Sub-titled "a journal of unpopular culture" I became familiar with it through the excellent Lost In The Grooves: Scram’s Capricious Guide To The Music You Missed book. Scram features enough cool, bizarre and eclectic rock and roll to keep you hunting record fairs and swap meets for years. A great, fun read for the adventureous rock and roll fan.

There are other mags that I will pick up occasionally like Q, Blender, Tracks and even the odd Spin or Rolling Stone if there is something that looks interesting but the above mags, especially because most are not published monthly are my current reading faves. And I haven’t even touched upon the numerous fanzines out there. I mean, with what else can I get away with telling my wife “Honey, I’m going to soak in the tub with my “Ugly Things.” There will always be a place in my house for quality rock mags no matter what the Internet has in store for rock and roll fandom.

UPDATE!

Figures. I just post about the magazines that I currently enjoy and now I discover two more that have made my essential list already.

• Bucketfull of Brains- This is actually a rediscovery as I have read Bucketfull of Brains in the past but it kind of slipped out of view for awhile but I have rediscovered this classic and intend to subscripe post haste. Fabulously diverse with a nice combination of the popular (a relative term for mags like these) and obscure, this UK mag comes out four times a year and is a fantastic read. Since it is impossible to find on the racks I advise you to subscribe.
• The Big Takeover- I feel like an idiot in that I have not even heard of this mag before but holy cow is it incredible. Published twice a year and edited by Jack Rabid, to give you an idea of the scope of this thing check out the contents of the current issue as listed on their website:
  • Here’s the lineup on that new issue: It has Wilco on the cover, from a long interview we did with Jeff Tweedy in his rehearsal/recording loft in Chicago. And it also includes long, thoughtful interviews with Scottish sensations Franz Ferdinand, Aussie legend Nick Cave of his Bad Seeds and Birthday Party fame, Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz and Greg Graffin, all three surviving members of the reunited MC5, and all five of the similarly reformed American Music Club, Canadian power-pop faves Sloan, that genre’s ageless Chris Stamey of the dBs, London punk/trash rock heroes The Libertines, England’s moody/broody Hope of the States, The Diodes and the history of 1977 Ontario punk, the perennial Stiff Little Fingers, Jeremy Enigk of Fire Theft and Sunny Day Real Estate, Dr. Robert Moog inventor of the Moog synthesizer, older Scottish punk stars The Rezillos, part two of The Weirdos’ John Denney and Cliff Roman, and part two of Rocket From the Tombs’ stars David Thomas and Cheetah Chrome; as well as Matthew Sweet, The Black Keys, Ron Sexsmith, Waxwings, Dora Flood, Inouk, The Places, Oneida, producer Warne Livesey, and more.

Incredible stuff for true rock and roll fanatics.
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As you may or may not know, for the most part I am not a big fan of Rolling Stone magazine any more but if you are a fan of the late great Hunter S. Thompson, or you just want to get an idea of what Hunter was all about, you should definitely pick up the latest issue of the mag which features an extensive tribute to the good gonzo doctor. A tough, emotional read at times (at least for me) but a heart-felt tribute by those who knew and loved Hunter. Highly recommended to both fans and casual observers alike.
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Because fans of rock and roll love to argue about rock and roll lists, I present to you the top 10 selections from Q Magazine’s "100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever":

1) ‘Purple Haze’ - JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE (1967)
2) ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ - The Rolling Stones (1968)
3) ‘Whole Lotta Love’ - LED ZEPPELIN (1969)
4) ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ - NIRVANA (1991)
5) ‘Helter Skelter’ - The Beatles (1968)
6) ‘Sweet Child O’Mine’ - GUNS N’ ROSE (1987)
7) ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ - The Who (1971)
‘Seven Army Nation’ - THE WHITE STRIPES (2003)
9) ‘You Really Got Me’ - THE KINKS (1964)
10) ‘I Am The Resurrection’ - THE STONE ROSES (1989)

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Despite the mega-corporations and major label huckster hangers-on, the SXSW Festival is still trying to stay close to its indie rock roots despite the massive growth that the festival has sustained since it started 18 years ago. Chris Morris takes a look at this year’s festival and talks to festival founder Roland Swenson in Globalized SXSW Still Asserts Its Independent Roots. Much like the Sundance Festival, it will be interesting to see if SXSW maintains its "indie rock cred" or slowly becomes another mainstream "conference." I highly doubt it.
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Just a heads up that the posting schedule for this week’s Rock and Roll Report will be sporadic at best. Due to pressing matters not related to the site I will not be able to post as much as normal but I will try to get some info out on some cool rock and roll stuff as best I can. In addition, there will be no posts on Friday, March 25th or Monday, March 28th, 2005. Thanks for reading. Turn it up.
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Just a reminder that if you haven’t had a chance and can afford to do so, the WFMU radio marathon ends on Sunday, March 20th, 2005 and they are still short of their goal of $800,000. In this day and age of media consolidation and the incredibly offensive "indecency crackdown" that the FCC is inflicting on true independent media, this is your chance to "stick it to the man" as you will and keep the free form radio ball rolling. You can make your pledge here.
UPDATE! Congrats to listeners and ‘FMU staff alike for a successful marathon as they managed to raise over $816,000 this year! Indie Rock freeform radio is alive and well on WFMU. If you have never listened you should tune in and check them out. Donations of money or records are always appreciated.
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Wayne has forwarded me a great and funny list created by Pete Ahrens who is the host of Psychedelic Pete’s Underground Freakout heard Thursdays from 8:00 - 9:00 PM EST on CKMS FM 100.3 Radio Waterloo. So without further ado here we go…

Rock and Roll Hits for Aging Baby Boomers

1. Herman’s Hermits: Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Walker
2. The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Hip
3. Bobby Darin: Splish, Splash, I Was Havin’ a Flash
4. Ringo Starr: I Get By With a Little Help from Depends
5. Roberta Flack: The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face
6. Johnny Nash: I Can’t See Clearly Now
7. Paul Simon: Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver
8. Commodores: Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom
9. Marvin Gaye: I Heard It Through the Grape Nuts
10. Procol Harem: A Whiter Shade of Hair
11. Leo Sayer: You Make Me Feel Like Napping
12. The Temptations: Papa’s Got a Kidney Stone
13. Abba: Denture Queen
14. Tony Orlando: Knock 3 Times on the Ceiling if you Hear Me Fall
15. Helen Reddy: I am Woman, Hear Me Snore
16. Willie Nelson: On the Throne Again
17. Leslie Gore: It’s My Procedure and I’ll Cry if I Want To

A great laugh to end the week! Have a great weekend everybody. Hopefully the tech gremlins are over and rock and roll will once again reign supreme.
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I just saw this on Wired News and thought it was perfect. The Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies or MAPS are holding a fundraising auction on Ebay to raise money for some of their expenses. MAPS is a legitimate scientific research group that studies issues related to the use of psychedelics for the treatment of various medical disorders and they are increasingly winning contracts in support of their research which has correspondingly increased their administrative expenses. Some of the items on auction include psychedelic drug icon Alexander Shulgin’s lab glassware, the aforementioned "LSD Tit Print" and a guitar signed by members of The Cure.
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